The European Space Agency is organizing an experiment, to prepare for an eventual manned flight to Mars. They are looking for volunteers to spend almost a year and a half living in isolation with five other volunteers in complete isolation from the outside workd.

However, there are no plans for the process to be televised, and unlike Big Brother, there will be no ‘evictions’. The experiment is to take place in Moscow, and the distance from Earth to Mars will be simulated by there being a delay imposed with the radio communications with those inside the experiment.

The ESA hope to understand a little better the group dynamics involved when people are couped up in cramped conditions for extended periods of time.

Those who pass selection (25-50 years old, no smokers, drug dependents, must be in good health & preferably Russian and English language skills) will not just be sitting around, a la BB, but instead will simulate all activities that the real space journey will involve. Obviously weightlessness is not possible, but a simulated launch, and demo runs of what would be needed to be done in a real life emergency.

The reward, other than helping further this planet’s space and planet exploration, will be around 75 pounds a day.